This invention relates to telephones. In particular, the present invention is a system for alerting a someone that the telephone handset is off the switchhook and for alerting a telephone user that a hold initiating party is ready to resume conversation.
One of the more annoying features of using the telephone is to be placed on telephone "hold". Typically, the party put on hold is left to listen to music or a commercial advertisement for a long period of time. This circumstance is tremendously irritating and time wasting, particularly for a business person who is unable to pursue other work activities while listening to the telephone handset for the return of the hold initiating party. One option for the party on hold is to simply place the handset down next to the telephone chassis and hope that he/she will hear the hold initiating party's voice upon return. However, since the sound of the hold initiating party's voice is transmitted at the ear piece of the handset, it is difficult to hear and may lead to the party on hold missing the return of the hold initiating party. This typically leads to the telephone line disconnection (i.e., handset "hang-up") by the hold initiating party. This circumstance leads to a further telephone problem, in that the party on hold has been disconnected and he/she is unaware of this occurrence.
In a typical business telephone line system there is nothing to alert the telephone user that the telephone line is not active and the handset is inadvertently off of the switchhook. With the handset off of the switchhook, the telephone of the telephone user is incapable of receiving in-coming calls. This situation results in the telephone user missing these, possibly important, telephone calls.
Typical residential telephone line systems do have a system to alert someone that the handset is off of the switchhook. This situation may be occasioned by a telephone user simply not placing the handset back on the telephone base unit properly or by small child who may have accidentally dislodged the handset from the switchhook. This alert system typically takes the form a of tone or repeating message that is transmitted through the earpiece of the handset to alert someone to replace the handset on the switchhook. However, since this alert tone or repeating message is delivered through the handset earpiece, it is inadequate because it is difficult to hear, and therefore could result in the handset being off of the switchhook (and the inability of the telephone to receive in-coming calls) for hours. This situation may be critical, particularly with respect to elderly individuals who may rely on an incoming call as a safety link to relatives or friends.
There is a need for telephone handset off switchhook and call holding alert systems. In particular, there is a need for a system that will provide someone with adequate alert that their telephone handset is off of the switchhook. In addition, there is a need for a system that will alert a party on hold that the hold initiating party is ready to resume conversation. This would allow the party on hold to pursue other activities during the telephone hold time period. Lastly, the telephone handset off switchhook and call holding alert system should make as much use of the standard components incorporated into the telephone so as to be relatively easy and inexpensive to implement.